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In A Ghost Grows in Brooklyn, a possessed geranium is given to the Ghostbusters as a gift, who in turn present it to Janine. The plant soon grows and begins to overthrow New York, but how do you "bust" a plant?[2]

The Ghostbusters were out on a bust at Lorne's Greenhouse and Garden Center. The action started to get too intense and Mr. Lorne insisted he wait outside. A water hose floated up and shot Ray. The Greenhouse ghost exited the hose and ran off with a wheel barrow. He scooped up Winston then launched him into a pile of compost. Peter and Egon stopped at a row of geraniums and noticed one glowing. Peter opened fire and confined the ghost. Egon opened the trap but the ghost escaped into a nearby geranium. Egon was skeptical they trapped it but Peter insisted he check his glasses. Mr. Lorne was pleased and decided to give a special reward to the one who captured the ghost, one of his prized geraniums. Peter pointed to Egon.

As the guys drove back to headquarters, Peter downplayed the geranium's worth. Ray defended "Gerry" and cited in 1954, Boxwood and Hedges proved hibiscus responded positively to violin music. Egon added they didn't like the tuba to which Peter wondered if anyone did. At the Firehouse, Janine admired Egon's geranium. Egon then mentioned he had pots at some because he used to employ plants for his experiments until they died. Janine guessed he over-watered them and recommended books by Professor Phil Dendron, the world's greatest plant psychologist. Janine listed some of the titles: "I'm Okay, Your Plant's Okay," "How to Be Your Begonia's Best Friend," and "Mulch to Success." Egon is impressed Janine knew so much and gave her the geranium. As Egon handed her the plant, their hands touched and Janine noted how romantic geraniums were. The moment ended when Peter appeared with a sandwich and asked if there were any messages.

At the end of the work day, Janine boarded the subway and returned home to her apartment. She showed off the geranium to a table full of other plants then placed it on her window sill. After Janine walked away, a pigeon landed by the plant. Suddenly, it glowed and increased rapidly in size. The next day, thunderstorms plagued the city. As Janine arrived at the Firehouse, she found Peter so bored out his mind he played Tic Tac Toe against himself on a window. Slimer was eager to play catch with Peter but was turned down. Peter changed his mind and declared they'll play "Hide and Don't Seek." Slimer was ecstatic, though fooled by Peter, and rushed off to hide as Peter counted.

Meanwhile, the geranium had gotten so large its vines crept down into the sewers and lifted up a car. A secretary noticed the car and vine but kept typing. Several vines entered Sol's Tanning Salon and settled on a tanning bed. Back at the Firehouse, Peter was still counting when Winston interrupted him. Peter didn't mind and started over again. Janine answered a call and announced something unusual was going on at Brooklyn Bridge. Ecto-1 pulled up and the guys sighted the geranium vines wrapped around the bridge. As they strapped on their Proton Packs, Professor Dendron ran up to them and declared the plant needed to be saved for scientific study. Ray did a sweep with his P.K.E. Meter and registered a P.K.E. reading but a vine grabbed him. Ray was hoisted up to a dangerous height and prompted the others to open fire. Ray soon fell to his death but he caught a giant leaf and used it to safely glide down onto the roof of Ecto-1.

Egon surmised they needed to find the center of the growth and pointed out to Brooklyn. The Ghostbusters rode a tugboat to the shore and marched in. They found out Dendron had beaten them there. He wasn't planning on missing the most exciting horticultural event in 100 years. Ray suggested they employ a 'slash and burn' strategy but Egon warned the resulting fire would destroy every inch of Brooklyn. Dendron suggested they communicate with love but he was soon grabbed. The guys held off from firing until Dendron agreed to it. Elsewhere, Janine arrived in Brooklyn Heights with some Dendron's Own Plant Food. However, her apartment was overgrown. The Ghostbusters chased after Dendron and found themselves in front of Janine's apartment.

They entered but were unable to stop the creature as all of Janine's possessions were destroyed. Peter and Ray are grabbed and Winston struggled with another vine. Egon suddenly got an idea and grabbed the emergency fire hose in the hallway. He returned and over watered the plant. It worked. The vines around Brooklyn died and crumbled. In the apartment, the ghost vacated the geranium and Winston trapped it. Instead of thanking Egon, Janine was irate at the destruction of her apartment. Dendron declared he would dedicate this to a chapter in his new book, "Geraniums I Have Known" and would send an autographed copy to everyone. Peter declined the offer and said he'd wait for the movie.

In the The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection, there is an Introduction to the episode by writer Michael Edens. He reveals he came up with the premise for the episode on a flight from Tennessee to Los Angeles. He originally titled it "It's A Jungle Out There" but Mark Edens changed it to reflect a literary reference to "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn."

↑Egon Spengler (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "A Ghost Grows in Brooklyn " (1987) (DVD ts. 05:21-05:28). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "I have some pots at home. I used to use plants in my experiments until they all died."